The present invention concerns a method for managing a quick distribution of images.
When a user wishes to have his photographs developed, whether from films in 24/36 format, APS format or transparencies, when he wishes to have a reprint made of a photograph already on paper or when he wishes to have an enlargement made or any other processing performed, he sends the image medium to a processing laboratory, ordering the processing he has chosen. Once the ordered processing has been carried out, the user does not receive his order immediately; this is because he must take into account the delay for dispatching to the retailer where he left his order. Moreover, if the user cannot go to the retailer, the delay in obtaining his photographs will be even longer. However, the user sometimes wishes to have an idea very quickly of the images he is going to obtain. Sometimes he also wishes to be able to send the images to his friends very quickly.
Similarly, when the user produces his photographs with a digital camera, he sometimes wishes to perform different operations, such as, for example, ordering printing at a chosen retailer, in a kiosk, or sending, to different people, one or more of his images on different types of medium or in different modified forms.
One object of the present invention is a method allowing the user, wherever he is situated, to manage quickly the distribution of images so as to give the user a very quick idea of the images he is going to obtain.
Another object of the present invention is a method allowing the user to choose very quickly and to send very quickly, to different locations, images he has chosen.
Another object of the invention is a method allowing the user very quickly to order printing of images in a chosen place.
The invention concerns a method for managing a quick distribution of images, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving, from a user, at least one image associated with a messaging system address;
digitizing said at least one image when the image is not in digital form;
storing said at least one image on a server; and
sending a message to the messaging system address associated with said at least one image giving the information that said at least one image is available on the server.